The Chicago White Sox look to extend their winning streak when they visit the Trop on Friday to begin a three-game set on Friday to begin a three-game set, while the Tampa Bay Rays ― mired in an offensive slump ― look to end their two-game skid.
The Rays have dropped four of their last five games while managing just 10 runs in that span (an average of two-runs per game). Tampa Bay is coming off its second consecutive series loss, this time at the hands of Cleveland, who held them to just one run over the past two games. Logan Morrison’s batting average dipped to .069 while Brad Miller’s is .077 ― the two are a combined 4-for-55. To that end, Kevin Kiermaier, who started the season 4-for-7, has gone 0-for-his-last-18 since, while the team is batting .210 after consecutive five-hit efforts.
I actually liked the fact today it looked like guys were frustrated,” Rays Manager Kevin Cash told reporters. “That’s okay to be frustrated. We all should be a little frustrated after just the way we performed the last couple of nights, especially today. Today was just not good. Hopefully we’ll turn the frustration into a positive and get on the board early (Friday night).
He continued,
We didn’t do too many things well, or anything well for that matter today (as it relates to Thursday’s series finale). Let’s bounce back. We’ve got a night off. Let the guys go out and have a nice dinner, and come back ready to play a new series.
On the other hand the White Sox, carried by solid pitching, finished off the slumping Minnesota Twins with a 3-1 victory on Thursday ― the fourth consecutive for Chicago. They have allowed just six runs in their last five victories, and at 7-2 they are off to their best start since going 11-2 in 1957. The ChiSox are five games over .500 for the first time since the end of 2012. The pitching staff has a 2.25 ERA with a 2.75 mark from the starting rotation.
Chicago will send a trio of lefties to the mound; Chris Sale, John Danks and Jose Quintana. Cash will counter with Jake Odorizzi, Erasmo Ramirez (tentative) and Matt Moore.
Despite allowing no runs in five of the six innings he pitched on Sunday against the Orioles, Odorizzi got pegged with his first loss of the season thanks to a four-run second inning.
Ramirez, who worked two relief innings during Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to Cleveland, remains the likely candidate to draw a spot start Saturday. The 25 year-old righty threw 33 pitches over his two frames Wednesday and allowed two hits, including an unfortunate eighth-inning homer to Jason Kipnis. He fanned four, giving him six strikeouts in six innings of work to date in 2016.
Moore hurled seven innings of one-run ball in a no-decision against the Indians on Tuesday, matching his longest start from a season ago. The lefty has thrown over 100 pitches in both starts this season, after doing so once in 12 starts in 2015.
Key Matchups
Chris Sale: Sale has gotten enough offensive support to win his first two starts while allowing three runs in each with 13 hits given up in 14 total innings. He’s had a bit of trouble with the long ball, although he’s otherwise been sharp. His whiff rate is a bit down, however, that’s a dip from the typical elite-level rate he’s set as a standard. That is, he’s still very good. Boding well for the good guys, the lefty has struggled in his career against Tampa Bay, going 2-4 with a 4.62 ERA in eight appearances (six starts). Key Matchups: Brandon Guyer (1-3, 2 BB), Kevin Kiermaier (2-3, RBI), Logan Morrison (1-3), Steve Pearce (3-9, 2B, RBI, BB)
John Danks: Danks was originally scheduled to throw Friday, but the team wants to keep Chris Sale on regular rest after a rain-out on Sunday. To put it bluntly, Danks has been the weakest link in Chicago’s rotation, and the Rays will look to pounce on any of his mistakes. In 30 starts last season, the left-hander went 7-15 with a 4.71 ERA and 1.41 WHIP, yet that was an improvement from 2014, when his 6.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 left a lot to be desired. He tends to give up his fair share of homers. Key Matchups: Brandon Guyer (2-6, 2B, RBI), Desmond Jennings (2-6, 2B, RBI), Logan Morrison (2-5, 2B), Steve Pearce (1-3), Steven Souza Jr. (1-3)
Jose Quintana: Quintana (1-0) held the Twins to one run on four hits in his first win of the season on Monday. The lefty fanned five and walked three. Through two starts, he has collected a 2.31 ERA and 12 strikeouts. Quintana relies primarily upon his 92 mph four seam fastball, a 78 mph curve which he uses to coax grounders, and a 92 mph sinker. He also mixes in an 86 mph changeup which is an extreme fly-ball pitch. Key Matchups: Logan Forsythe (4-5, 2 2B, HR, 5 RBI), Desmond Jennings (2-3, 3B), Kevin Kiermaier (2-6), Evan Longoria (3-8), Logan Morrison (4-9), Steve Pearce (3-6, 2B, HR, RBI)
Noteworthiness
― The Rays won five of six games against the White Sox last season, including a three-game sweep at Tropicana Field.
― Evan Longoria has hit safely in seven of nine games this season with two homers and five RBI.
― Per Marc Topkin (Tampa Bay Times) 15 Homers have been allowed by the Rays in the first nine games; second most in franchise history — 16 in 2003, 2006.
― Also per Topkin, there have now been 44 Consecutive successful base stealers against Rays C Hank Conger, seven this season, 37 last year with Houston.
― Adam Eaton has set the table well for Chicago with 13 hits in eight games (.394 average, five multi-hit games).
― Melky Cabrera has four consecutive two-hit efforts.
― Jose Abreu is batting .354 with five homers, 18 RBI, 17 hits and seven walks in 13 career games against Tampa Bay.